Is the comet really part of an extraterrestrial probe? "Small newspaper.at

"Oumuamua" could be a light sail, like part of an alien spaceship: Object apparently would have increased its speed for no reason.

5.31 pm, November 5, 2018

In September, scientists had discovered four potential stars of the first proven visitor from another solar system: they were following the trajectory of "Oumuamua" back – it's the name of the object discovered about a year ago.

"Active piece of extraterrestrial technology"

Researcher Harvard Smithsonian Center In the United States, the baptized Hawaiian comet has been more involved, after apparently increasing its speed for no apparent reason. And a possible theory around the mysterious celestial body is: "Oumuamua could be an active element of extraterrestrial technology coming to explore our solar system, just as we hope, Alpha Centauri with Starshot Breakthrough, etc. Exploring technologies "says the professor Abraham Loeb, who is involved in the Harvard study.

In other words, "Oumuamua" could be a light sail, a kind of part of an extraterrestrial spaceship. The researchers had previously found that the cigar-shaped object temporarily releases gases whose effects are comparable to those of a very weak rocket engine. This then helped them decisively in calculating the trajectory of "Oumuamua", as reported by the researchers of the journal "Astrophysical Journal".

The studies are far from over: in 2021, more detailed data series on several million stars must be published, which could lead to more precise conclusions about the origin of visitors interstellar several hundred meters. Astronomers discovered "Oumuamua" in October 2017 – just as it was leaving our solar system.

They just had time to measure the movements of the object with telescopes.